Department warns land claimants to be aware of fraudsters

POLOKWANE – There is no payment required in the processing of land claims.

This is a stern reminder from Limpopo Land Reform Department to claimants who could be facing promises of fast-tracking land restitution claims from fraudsters.

“The Restitution of Land Claims process in South Africa is a free government service. No money is ever payable to anyone including government officials or those working for the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights,” departmental media liaison officer Nicholas Magada says.

The commission is made to provide for the restoration of rights in land to persons or communities dispossessed of such rights after June 19, 1913 as a result of past racially discriminatory laws or practices. This is in line with the Restitution of Land Rights Act of 1994.

This applies to communities, families and individuals who submitted the claims before the December 31, 1998 cut-off date or claims lodged between July 1, 2014 and July 27, 2016.

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Magada says they have received multiple complaints from claimants, especially in the Capricorn and Vhembe districts, where legal representatives and employees solicited money in the name of speeding up the long procedure of claiming their forefathers land.

“A considerable number of people in a community paid R600 to their lawyers, specifically for fast tracking this process. All claims are processed to finality by the Commission without any outside influence. Land Restitution is a human rights-based to correct past wrongs by settling land restitution claims under Restitution of Land Right.”

Anyone who suspects malice in such cases is requested to, at their earliest convenience, send an e-mail to report.corruption@dha.gov.za or call the national anti-corruption hotline on 0800 701 701.